Impatiens plant named Cirrus

ABSTRACT

An Impatiens plant named Nova particularly characterized as to uniqueness by the combined characteristics of relatively early flowering, white flowers with five petals in which the upper petal has a green blotch showing through; vigorous and highly self-branching growth habit; green stems carrying relatively long and broad green leaves having uniform greenish yellow variegation; excellent flower keeping qualities, and ideal suitability for hanging baskets.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofImpatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens, named Cirrus. Cirruswas developed by me in Ashtabula, Ohio through controlled breeding bycrossing Mikkelsen Seedling No. 83-326-2 (seed parent) with MikkelsenSeedling No. 83-307-1 (pollen parent), both of which are unpatented.

Asexual reproduction by terminal or stem cuttings taken by me inAshtabula, Ohio has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiensare stabilized and are reproduced true to type in successivepropagations.

The following characteristics distinguish Cirrus from both its parentcultivars and other cultivated Impatiens of this type known and used inthe floriculture industry:

1. Cirrus is 7 to 10 days earlier to bloom than Milkyway, (disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,125), which is in turn similar in many respects to83-326-2, the female parent of Cirrus.

2. The flowers of Milkyway and Cirrus are white and similar in size anddo not pink during normal summer temperatures. However, Cirrus has moreflowers early in the blooming period and blooms better under low lightconditions. Further, the upper petal of Cirrus has a green blotch on theunderside of the petal which is visible on the upper surface of thepetal. The upper petal of Milkyway has only a very small green blotch onits under surface, with the blotch being surrounded by a red area andnot being visible on the upper surface.

3. The vigorous growth habit of Cirrus makes it ideal for hanging basketand large pot production. Overall plant size is similar to Corona(disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,184).

4. Cirrus has green stems while Milkyway has reddish stems under outdoorgrowing conditions.

5. The leaves of Cirrus are longer and broader than Milkyway, and arenot glossy.

6. Cirrus has very regular variegation while Milkyway can have variablevariegation ranging from no variegation to heavy variegation.

7. Cirrus is highly self-branched, and cutting production is abovenormal, thereby making propagation easy.

8. Cirrus has demonstrated tolerance to low temperature, with plantsperforming well from a May 15 planting when temperatures were still inthe 40° F. to 50° F. range.

9. Flowers have excellent keeping qualities and are carried above thefoliage making the plant very colorful.

10. An excellent cultivar for further hybridizing for hanging basketuse.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof this cultivar in perspective view and shows the colors as true as itis reasonably possible to obtain in a colored reproduction of this type.

The following is a detailed description of my new Impatiens cultivarbased on plants produced under commercial practices in Ashtabula, Ohio.The photograph was taken in September of plants grown in a greenhouse.Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

Parentage: Controlled cross of Mikkelsen Seedling 83-326-2×MikkelsenSeedling 83-307-1.

Propagation:

(A) Type cutting.--15 mm long will develop to 4-5 cm long in 18-21 days.

(B) Time to root.--8-10 days at 23° C. summer; 10-12 days at 20° C.winter.

(C) Rooting habit.--Heavy, fibrous.

Plant description:

(A) Form.--Symmetrically mounded, self-branching, vigorous growingflowering herb; light green stems.

(B) Habit of growth.--Continuous flowering, self-branching, mounded,semi-tall, and vigorous, making it ideal for hanging baskets.

(C) Foliage.--Broad, non-glossy dark green foliage with greenish yellowvariegation extending approximately two thirds of the way up the leaf.(1) Size: 9 to 10 cm long and 3 to 3.5 cm wide on mature leaves. (2)Shape: Lanceolate with acuminate apex and acute base. (3) Texture: Upperside augose, glabrous underside. (4) Margin: Finely serrated, veryfinely ciliated. (5) Color: Young foliage top side, 137B. Young foliageunder side, 138A. Mature foliage top side, 147A. Mature foliage underside, 147B. (6) Veination: Pinnate.

Flowering description:

(A) Flowering habits.--Flowers continuously from leaf whorl inprogressive and orderly manner with one flower per axil. It takes 5 to 7days from bud to bloom, and flowers last 2 to 3 weeks.

(B) Natural flowering season.--Indeterminant and continuous. Quantity offlowering increases with increasing levels of light.

(C) Flower buds.--Ellipsoidal, flowers perfect; whitish green spur up to3 cm long on mature bud with throat behind ovary and originating frommajor sepal.

(D) Flowers born.--On individual short pedicels from whorl of usuallyfive leaves, flowering progressively around the whorl as leaves and budsdevelop; flowers are carried above leaf canopy.

(E) Quantity of flowers.--Very floriferous; flowering development iscontinuous so that tight buds to mature blooms simultaneously appear.

(F) Petals.--(1) Shape: Heart shaped; top and two bottom petalsapproximately the same size; two side petals smaller. (2) Color top sidewhen opening: 155A, with blush of 143D on upper petal; similar on bothyoung and mature flowers; under side 155A with a 143C blotch on back ofupper petal. (3) Number of petals: Five. (4) Size of flowers: 4.5 to 5cm in diameter.

(G) Reproductive organs.--(1) Stamens: Five in number. (a) Anther shape:Hooded, greenish white in color. (b) Pollen color: Cream. (2) Pistils:Five. (a) Stigma shape: Segmented, column shaped; greenish white incolor. (b) Style color: Clear. (c) Ovaries: Five in number, celled, size4 mm until fertilized; green in color.

Disease resistance: No significant disease or insect problems noted todate.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens named Cirrus, asdescribed and illustrated, and particularly characterized by thecombined features of relatively early flowering, white flowers with fivepetals in which the upper petal has a green blotch showing through;vigorous and highly self-branching growth habit; green stems carryingrelatively long and broad green leaves having uniform greenish yellowvariegation; excellent flower keeping qualities, and ideal suitabilityfor hanging baskets.